Pressing structure for hole-punching unit

ABSTRACT

A pressing structure for a hole-punching unit mainly comprises an axle, two wrenching pieces, a pole and two pressing pieces, wherein said axle is axially attached to a case of said hole-punching unit, with one end of said axle axially connecting to a control knob, each wrenching piece connecting to said axle near its end, said pressing piece having a spring coil disposed at its middle and pivotally connected to said pole, and said pressing piece having a pair of lapping shafts extending from a first side of said spring coil, and a pair of suppressing shafts extending from a second side of said spring coil, said lapping shaft leaning against an upper edge of said wrenching piece for said control knob to drive said wrenching piece to move synchronously, so as to let said suppressing shaft to press said hole-punching assembly and to fasten said hole-punching assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention is related to a pressing structure of a hole-punching unit, and more particularly, to a multi-hole-punching unit for binding books, and still more particularly, to a pressing structure for fastening a hole-punching assembly to facilitate the process of switching and maintaining the hole-punching assembly.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As of now, hole-punching unit is used to punch holes on a stack of papers to bind papers into a book. Due to different binding styles and requirements, a multi-hole-punching unit is provided to punch a plurality of holes on a stack of papers at a time.

Prior art multi-hole-punching unit is operated by driving a plurality of tool holders disposed at the hole-punching assembly to move back and forth to complete the hole-punching operation on a stack of papers. As the sheet number and the weight of papers vary, the thickness of the paper stack will be different, and configurations such as different binding requirements, gap between each hole and number of holes are different as well. In this case, user has to find a hole-punching assembly having suitable tool holders according to sheet number and paper thickness, and also tries to reduce or increase the number of tool holders based on number of holes and their relative positions. Besides, when the hole-punching assembly malfunctions or the tool-holders are worn down so that the hole-punching unit can't carry out its function, it requires some maintenance and fixing works to be done. However, in prior art hole-punching unit, hole-punching assembly is fixed by complicated structure, it is often necessary to use auxiliary tools to remove the hole-punching assembly, thereby causing inconvenience in maintenance operation.

In view of the above-described deficiencies, after years of constant effort in research, the inventor of this invention has consequently developed and proposed a new pressing structure for hole-punching unit disclosed in the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pressing structure of hole-punching unit, wherein the wrenching piece drives the pressing piece to press the hole-punching assembly by its elasticity and to fasten the hole-punching assembly to facilitate the process of switching and maintaining the hole-punching assembly.

The present invention discloses a pressing structure for a hole-punching unit mainly comprising an axle, two wrenching pieces, a pole and two pressing pieces, wherein the axle is axially attached to a case of the hole-punching unit, with one end of the axle axially connecting to a control knob, each wrenching piece connecting to the axle near its end so as to let the control knob to drive each wrenching piece to move synchronously, the wrenching piece having a retaining edge disposed at each side thereof;

the pole being disposed near the hole-punching assembly, the pressing piece being pivotally disposed on the pole, the pressing piece having a spring coil disposed at its middle and pivotally connected to the pole, and the pressing piece having a pair of lapping shafts extending from a first side of the spring coil, and a pair of suppressing shafts extending from a second side of the spring coil, the lapping shaft leaning against an upper edge of the wrenching piece, the suppressing shaft extending towards the hole-punching assembly so as to let the suppressing shaft to press the hole-punching assembly and to fasten said hole-punching assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings disclose an illustrative embodiment of the present invention which serves to exemplify the various advantages and objects hereof, and are as follows:

FIG. 1 illustrates a three dimensional view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a left side view (1) of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a left side view (2) of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A illustrates a magnifying view of FIG. 3 for the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a left side view (1) of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a left side view (2) of the second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a left side view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 for a pressing structure of a hole-punching unit in a first embodiment of the present invention, which mainly comprises a an axle 60, two wrenching pieces 70, a pole 80 and two pressing pieces 90, wherein each end of axle 60 is axially connected to a side wall 200 on each side of the case of the hole-punching unit, with one end of axle 60 protruding through the case to axially connect to a control knob 62, each wrenching piece 70 connecting to axle 60 near one of its end, and each wrenching piece 70 having an axle hole 72 disposed thereon for axle 60 to protrude through axle hole 72 to connect to wrenching piece 70, therefore, turning control knob 62 would let axle 60 to drive each wrenching piece 70 to turn synchronously, each wrenching piece 70 having a retaining edge 74 disposed at each side of it respectively.

Pole 80 is disposed near a hole-punching assembly 50, with each end of pole 80 being pivotally connected and fixed to one of side walls 200, each pressing piece 90 being disposed on pole 80 and near one side of pole 80, pressing piece 90 being used for twisting a spring, pressing piece 90 having a spring coil 92 disposed at its middle and pivotally connected to pole 80, and pressing piece 90 having a pair of lapping shafts 94 extending from a first side of spring coil 92, and a pair of suppressing shafts 96 extending from a second side of spring coil 92; lapping shaft 94 leaning against an upper edge of wrenching piece 70 and using retaining edge 74 to restrain suppressing shaft 94 so as to keep lapping shaft 94 in contact with wrenching piece 70 and to prevent lapping shaft 94 from slipping away to further ensure the reliability of the mechanism which wrenching piece 70 uses to drive pressing piece 90; suppressing shaft 96 extending towards hole-punching assembly 50 to let suppressing shaft 96 to press hole-punching assembly 50 and to fasten hole-punching assembly 50.

Please refer to FIG. 1˜3, when hole-punching assembly 50 is installed in the hole punching unit, in order to fasten hole-punching assembly 50 to commence hole-punching operation, user can turn control knob 62, and consequently through axle 60 to drive each wrenching piece 70 to turn synchronously. When the upper edge of wrenching piece 70 is pushing against lapping shaft 94 to let pressing piece 90 to deform elastically, in the meantime, spring coil 92 would apply elastic force on suppressing shaft 96 to let the latter to press hole-punching assembly 50, as shown in FIG. 3. Besides, as the wrenching piece 70 turns to force lapping shaft 94 to make contact with an end of wrenching piece 70 so that lapping shaft 94 and wrenching piece 70 lean against each other.

As shown in FIG. 3A, when control knob 62 turns each wrenching piece 70, an included angle α formed by a vertical line through the center of axle 60 with an end of wrenching piece 70 is smaller than 90°. That is, when user stops turning control knob 62, the counterforce of lapping shaft 94 is still not capable of driving wrenching piece 70 to go back to the previous position, then pressing piece 90 would stay put and continue to press hole-punching assembly 50 to ensure hole-punching assembly 50 to be in the fixed position for certain. Afterwards, when it is necessary to maintain/repair or to switch hole-punching assembly 50, user only needs to turn control knob 62 in the opposite direction to let axle 60 to drive each wrenching piece 70 to turn synchronously, then wrenching piece 70 would no longer press against lapping shaft 94 (as shown in FIG. 2), and pressing piece 90 would return to its initial state by elasticity, thereby releasing the pressing effect of suppressing shaft 96 on hole-punching assembly 50. Therefore, it is viable to easily and quickly assemble/dismantle the hole-punching assembly without auxiliary tool and to facilitate the usability and convenience of the hole-punching unit.

Besides, the end of suppressing shaft 96 has a suppressing part 98 made of elastic material (such as rubber) disposed thereon, using suppressing part 98 to make contact with hole-punching assembly 50 and to press it. Through the friction between suppressing part 98 and hole-punching assembly 50, it is more reliable for hole-punching assembly 50 to be fastened to the fixed position.

The second embodiment is derived from the first embodiment mentioned above, please refer to FIG. 4˜5. In the second embodiment, the pressing structure further comprises a tact switch 50′, a wrenching piece 70′ having a protruding part 28′ disposed at its outer edge, tact switch 50′ comprising an elastic plate 52′ for controlling an ON/OFF state of tact switch 50′, while protruding part 28′ extending to couple with elastic plate 52′. When

When wrenching piece 70′ turns to drive pressing piece 90′ to let pressing piece 90′ to press hole-punching assembly, protruding part 28′ would not make contact with elastic plate 52′ (as shown in FIG. 4) so as to let the hole punching unit to be in ON state. Consequently, when wrenching piece 70′ turns in the opposite direction to the pressing effect of pressing piece 90′ on hole-punching assembly 50, protruding part 28′ would make contact with elastic plate 52′ (as shown in FIG. 5) to let hole-punching unit to be in OFF state. Then it is viable to switch/maintain hole-punching assembly 50 and to provide safety when in use.

The third embodiment of the present invention is a variation of the first embodiment mentioned above. Please refer to FIG. 6, in the third embodiment, the pressing structure comprising an axle 60″, two wrenching pieces 70″, a pole 80″, two pressing pieces 90″ and a tact switch 50″, wherein wrenching piece 70″ is disposed inside the case of the hole-punching unit and near the lower end of the hole-punching unit.

As described above, the present invention provides a new pressing structure for fastening a hole-punching assembly to facilitate the process of switching and maintaining the hole-punching assembly. Therefore, this application is not only novel and but also applicable in the industry.

Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A pressing structure for a hole-punching unit mainly comprises an axle, two wrenching pieces, a pole and two pressing pieces, wherein said axle is axially attached to a case of said hole-punching unit, with one end of said axle axially connecting to a control knob, each wrenching piece connecting to said axle near its end so as to let said control knob to drive each wrenching piece to move synchronously, said wrenching piece having a retaining edge disposed at each side thereof; said pole being disposed near said hole-punching assembly, said pressing piece being pivotally disposed on said pole, said pressing piece having a spring coil disposed at its middle and pivotally connected to said pole, and said pressing piece having a pair of lapping shafts extending from a first side of said spring coil, and a pair of suppressing shafts extending from a second side of said spring coil, said lapping shaft leaning against an upper edge of said wrenching piece, said suppressing shaft extending towards said hole-punching assembly so as to let said suppressing shaft to press said hole-punching assembly and to fasten said hole-punching assembly.
 2. The pressing structure of claim 1, wherein a retaining edge is disposed at each side of said wrenching piece for said retaining edge to restrain said lapping shaft and to keep said lapping shaft in contact with said wrenching piece.
 3. The pressing structure of claim 1, wherein said suppressing shaft having a suppressing part disposed at its end.
 4. The pressing structure of claim 1, wherein said suppressing part is made of elastic material.
 5. The pressing structure of claim 1, wherein control knob drives each wrenching piece to move synchronously, so when said suppressing shaft of said pressing piece is pressing said hole-punching assembly, an included angle α is less than 90°.
 6. The pressing structure of claim 1 further comprises a tact switch, wherein said wrenching piece having a protruding part disposed at its outer edge, said tact switch comprising an elastic plate for controlling an ON/OFF state of said tact switch, said protruding part extending to couple with said elastic plate for said protruding part to drive said elastic plate to switch on/off said hole-punching unit to provide safety when in use. 